MangoKorat

Not doubting what you say at all but I am doubting the sincerity of what your office was told - blaming it on the press. I don't think the UK government gets its information by reading what various news sources say yet as others have pointed out - the UK is saying the from 1 June, its 60 days. Visa requirements From 1 June 2024, British passport holders arriving by air or land can enter Thailand without a visa (visa exemption) for the purpose of tourism and short-term business engagements for a period not exceeding 60 days. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

I understand very well that 'should' doesn't mean 'always' so don't be an a s s. When you've sent payments regularly and they've literally taken seconds (something Wise gloat about), it can be a bit worrying. It can also create problems - depending on the reason for your transfer. If Wise are having problems and a payment is likely to take longer, it would be courteous of them to tell you - not continue with the same 'should arrive in seconds' message.

You don't think people should be able to rely on this then?

Crimes and bad behaviour is not limited to any particular section of Thailand's expat society - I suspect if you could access the actual facts, not just those reported on here, you'd find that the Russians are probably involved in far more wrong doing - of all sorts in Thailand. To think of Asean Now (previously ThaiVisa) as a site where you can come for real world visa advise is fair, I think that's why a great many arrived here in the first place. However, you need to understand that Asean Now is a commercial enterprise - its not a free visa advice site. Look behind the arguments and verbal slagging that goes on here and you may notice on every page here (and far more if you don't employ an ad blocker) a large amount of advertising. At least Asean Now hopes you notice that advertising. Are you starting to understand now? Asean Now is not a Community Help site for expats and its 'raison d'etre' is making money. Not that there is anything wrong with that. So, imagine you are the site's owner, how would you attract advertisers to your site and thereby gain income? Advertisers want to see traffic so your job would be to produce that traffic. How do you do that? Well you can start by providing a space where those in the know can provide 'community advice' etc. but you'd also want growth right? What better way to get people talking (fighting and posting) than posting news articles that affect foreigners? Let's say that from doing so you notice that posting certain subject matter provokes additional fights and comments - would you locate more such stories and post them or less? You have just arrived, let me make a suggestion - learn to read Thai. When you have, go out and buy a Thai newspaper every day for a week. Then, at the end of that week add up all the stories you've read that include bad behaviour by foreigners - in particular, make a note of how many of those stories include accounts of British Expats/Tourists behaving badly. When you've arrived at your total, go back through your newspapers and locate all the stories of murders, fights, kiddly fiddling, thefts, assaults, drug deals etc.etc. perpetrated by those 'lovely' Thai people you mention. I think you might just realise that your thinking about British Expats is about as out of date as that of those who suggest we eat '99 baht breakfasts and Fish & Chips'. Thailand has quite a high 'actual' crime rate, much of which can be attributed to the lack of policing. Crime/bad behaviour is actually rampant in some areas of Thailand- especially in deprived areas where few expats venure, let alone live. The country has very big drug problems - particularly with one called 'Yaba' which accounts for a high proportion of crime. You'll read some of those stories on here but they are a tiny proportion of what actually goes on. Give some thought as to why you read so many stories on this site that involve certain branches of the expat commumity behaving badly. If you owned a website like Asean Now and you wanted to make money, would you post news stories about Thai's or Expats? If you noticed that posts aimed at a particular section of expats were popular, would you promote such stories or not - 'clicks = cash remember. Also keep in mind that Brits form a substantial part of Thailand's expat community. As shocking as any expat focused story may seem, I guarantee you that there are ar least 100 more shocking stories regarding 'lovely' Thai nationals every week. Don't be fooled by what you read, think of what lies behind it. Its called 'Populism' - Trump and Johnson became leaders of their respective countries by applying the same theory. Populism does not necessarily portray the truth - it simply is what it says - popular.

I will make this final post. You simply cannot help yourself can you? You try to appear to be making a sensible suggestion yet you also make an attempt at a jibe. I have also not been beating around the bush in any topics - you are drawing conclusions that simply don't exist. I guess I'd say that I'm moderately well off. I own several properties in both Thailand and the UK, I receive rent from some of them and I work full time in a decent job. I would have no problem in raising 400,000 baht to comply with the requirements to apply for an extension of stay. However, for a number of reasons, one being that I don't need such an extension, I have no intention of placing any more cash in a Thai bank account than I need to. There are many people who are in relationships with Thai nationals and/or have children in Thailand who may not be as fortunate as I am and through no fault of their own. Believe it or not, many people are struggling with the cost of living at the moment and that comes just after an income sapping pandemic. Not everyone can use 'forward planning' as you previously suggested. You're a pedant and a know it all - you clearly look down on anyone who might not be particularly well off and think they should not be considering a life abroad. I am also single and unlikely to get married again. I was posting on the subject initially to reply to someone asking questions in another thread and you know that. I don't always post on matters that affect myself. If its something I've been involved in or that has affected friend's etc, I often post on that subject Now you know a little of my personal circumstances, which bush have I been beating around then?

Entirely up to you. I have shown you where you said I was wrong. I have also suggested that we may have misunderstood each other - yet your response is to report rather than reply. I will not contribute to this forum any longer.

I have not said anything about who its 'on'. I am suggesting that if I am correct, there may be a way around the matter. Currently there is no requirement to have 400,000 in the bank for a single entry based on marriage at Savannakhet. That visa gives 90 days and can be extended by 60 days. If there is no 'Employment Prohibited' proviso on their Visa, the holder can obtain a work permit and work. They could spend their first year that way and avoid having to put 400,000 in the bank whilst collecting evidence of income for an application 12 months hence.

I am not talking about people who are retiring. I am talking about people who are moving to Thailand and intend on working/owning a business in which they work. Hence the title of this thread. I'd suggest that a hell of a lot of people would find it difficult to maintain a life in their home country, support their Thai wife and also put 40,000 in a Thai bank account every month. Have you any idea how much that is likley to involve? Be realistic! Forward planning......phfff!!!

@LiquoriceReport away! It is entirely possible that we are getting at cross purposes/misunderstanding each other. So I'll try to be clear on what I think the issue may be: (for those who's embassy will not certify income) I believe that it is not possible to use the 40,000 baht per month income method to obtain an extension to a non O based on marriage unless you can provide 12 months proof of that income, remitted to a Thai bank account. Someone who has just moved to Thailand would most likely not be able to provide such evidence. In that case, an applicant would have to provide evidence of having 400,000 in a Thai bank account at the time of application and leave it there for 2 months (I believe). They could then collect evidence of income over the next 12 months and use the income method for their next extension. Is that correct or not?

@Liquorice I may be missing something but I can't find the section in the links you posted on the other thread, that says evidence of 40,000 is not required for a whole year in the first year. Could you post the section I'm not seeing please? Just to be clear, I am talking about people who's embassy will not provide income certification.

Quite. You misunderstand - maybe deliberately? I am simply saying that the alternative for the first year may be to obtain single entry visas from Savannakhet or elswhere and extend them. Of course that extension, normally 60 days, would be at an immigration office not and embassy/consulate.

I first raised this topic in another thread and another member has stated that I'm wrong and there are allowances for not being able to provide evidence of income in your first year. He provided a link that contained the rules but as far as I can see, they only apply to retirement. I'd be happy to be wrong on this - I don't want to have to muck about getting several single entry visas but I've also seen others post that 40,000 income is not possible in the first year. From the link: Evidence of income of father, mother or husband who is an alien which shows that throughout a year, an average income is not less than 40,000 baht monthly. 1) A personal income tax form together with the payment slip 2) Evidence showing pension - a letter of certification on deposit in the bank in Thailand and bank statement showing money transfer from overseas every month for the past 12 months. Except in a case where the applicant's retirement is less than 1 year, the evidence must be from the month of retirement. For example, the retirement is started in October2018, the applicant must show pension payment evidence from November 2018 and pension payment evidence of the whole 12 months is required for the next year or; 3) Income certification certified by the embassy or consular

I have started a thread on this subject - perhaps you would like to comment there.

I remember it now you say.

My point behind this is that it anyone applying for a Non O based on marriage and wishing to use the income method to extend their stay has to provide evidence of either 400,000 in the bank or an income of 40,000 per month. Those who's embassies will not certify income have to provide 12 months documentary evidence of that income - in a Thai bank account. Those who have just moved to Thailand may find that impossible and have to provide 400,000 in the bank whilst collecting evidence of 40,000 income per month for the next year's application. Unless it can be shown that the 400,000 came from savings held before 31 December 2023, you could find that your assessable income in Thailand is 880,000 in that year. That's how I understand it anyway. An altertaive, may be, and this is why I wanted to know what it says on a single entry - to use single entries and extensions from a consulate/embassy like Savannakhet for the first year whilst gathering income evidence for the next. No income required for a single entry at Savannakhet (yet).

Thanks for that. Very strange that your previous multi should state no employment, I've had several and none have stated 'Employment Prohibited'.

And that disagrees with what I've said how? As far as I can see the only exception to providing less than 12 months proof of income is for retirement purposes.

You think you've seen it all and then..................................................

Huge!!!

I am aware that it is possible for someone who is married to a Thai national and either on a 12 month extension of stay or a Multi Entry Non O to obtain a work permit. Many Thai visas state 'Employment Prohibited' but a 12 month, marriage based Multi Entry does not. Does a 90 day, marriage based, single entry Non O state 'Employment Prohibited' or not? Does anyone have such a visa and can advise? Note: you will not find it says you can work - if you can, it will simply not have the 'Employment Prohibited' proviso on it.

In my case it wouldn't. I am selling my home in the UK which as it is my sole residence, does not attract taxation in the UK. I only want to use that money when I need to - otherwise it stays in the UK.

@Mike Lister Mike, could you pass comment on this please? I understand that when applying for a 12 month extension on stay, for example based on marriage to a Thai national, an applicant either has to provide evidence of having 400,000 baht in a Thai bank account or a having a monthly income of not less than 40,000 baht per month. Further, my understanding is that if using the income method and your embassy is one of those that will certify an income from abroad, you have to provide evidence of 12 months remittances. Therefore, for someone just arriving in the country and applying for a 12 month extension based on marriage, for their first year they would have no option but to put 400,000 in a Thai bank account then collect evidence of income over the next 12 months for the next application. Could that not lead to an assessable amount in the first year of 880,000 Thai baht (obviously depending on timing)? If so, Is there any way of avoiding that - such as sending the 400,000 back to your home country once the required amount of time (I believe 2 months) had passed? Could that be remitted then deducted or would it always remain income?

No, during discussions on another thread, someone posted a link to a list, I thought it was on here.......the list contained various regulations, police orders etc.

Rather than start a new topic and as replies to this may be of interest to the OP, can I ask: Am I correct in saying that the first application for a 12 month extension based on marriage must be made using the money in the bank method? Then, for someone wishing to use the income method - collect evidence of that income over the next 12 months? I could be missing something here but would that not render the applicant liable for an assessable income of 880,000 Thai baht in that 12 months?

Thanks for posting that - I've been looking for it for ages. I believe there is a list of documents and police orders somewhere on here but when I search for it, I can never find it. Do you have a link? I'm sure that either you or Dr Jack posted it previoulsy - I failed to copy the link on that occasion.